The Legal Services Corporation is a private, nonprofit organization established by the Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2996), to provide financial support for legal assistance in noncriminal proceedings to persons financially unable to afford legal services. The Corporation is governed by an 11member Board of Directors, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The President of the Corporation, appointed by the Board of Directors, is the chief executive officer

and serves as an ex officio Board member.

The Corporation provides financial assistance to qualified programs furnishing legal assistance to eligible clients and makes grants to and contracts with individuals, firms, corporations, and organizations for the purpose of providing legal assistance to these clients.

The Corporation establishes maximum income levels for clients based on family size, urban and rural differences, and cost-of-living variations. Using these maximum income levels and other

financial factors, the Corporation's recipient programs establish criteria to determine the eligibility of clients and priorities of service based on an appraisal of the legal needs of the eligible client community.

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) was created by the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, as amended (45 U.S.C. 541), and was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia to provide a balanced national transportation system by developing, operating, and improving U.S. intercity rail passenger service.

Amtrak is governed by a nine-member board of directors: The Secretary of Transportation serves as an ex officio member and Amtrak's president serves as Chairman; three members (representing labor, State Governors, and the business community) are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate; two members represent commuter authorities; and two members are selected by the preferred stockholder. The Corporation is managed by its president along with two executive vice presidents, nine vice presidents, and four assistant vice presidents.

Amtrak operates an average of 210 trains per day, serving over 500 station locations, over a system of approximately 24,000 route miles. Of this route system, Amtrak now owns a right-of-way of 2,611 track miles in the Northeast Corridor (Washington-New York-Boston; New Haven-Springfield; PhiladelphiaHarrisburg), and several small track segments in the East, purchased pursuant to the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) and the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 801 et seq.).

Amtrak owns or leases its stations and owns its own repair and maintenance facilities. The Corporation employs a total work force of approximately 23,100 and provides all reservation, station, and on-board service staffs, as well as train and engine operating crews. Outside the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak has historically contracted with 21 privately owned railroads for the right to operate over their track and has compensated each railroad for its total package of services. Under contract, these railroads are responsible for the condition of the roadbed and for coordinating the flow of traffic.

In fiscal year 1988, Amtrak transported over 21 million people for more than 5 billion passenger miles and retained its standing as the sixth largest intercity passenger carrier in the country. In addition, under recently signed contracts with several transit agencies, Amtrak carried over 15 million commuters.

Although Amtrak's basic route system was originally designated by the Secretary of Transportation in 1971, modifications have been made to the Amtrak system and to individual routes that have resulted in more efficient and cost-effective operations. Currently, in the face of ongoing budget constraints, any new service must be projected to cover its costs or be funded from a source other than Amtrak.

Systemwide ridership is steadily rising, and Amtrak is finding it increasingly difficult to meet the demands of increased travel patterns with its limited passenger fleet. To ease these equipment constraints, the Corporation is currently accepting delivery of 100 coaches and food service cars purchased from Bombardier, Inc., under a special agreement, and is seeking to initiate similar equipment acquisition programs over the next several years.

Amtrak began operation in 1971 with an antiquated fleet of equipment inherited from private railroads; some cars were nearly 30 years old. Beginning in 1975 head-end powered equipment cars, with electric lighting, heating, and cooling systems, were put into revenue service. These cars are the result of a total refurbishing process completed at the Amtrak Beech Grove, IN,

maintenance facility. Currently, every train in the Amtrak system is operating with new or completely rebuilt, allelectric equipment.

There is no rail passenger system in the world that makes a profit; therefore, Amtrak does require government assistance in the form of an annual appropriation. However, Amtrak has made significant progress in reducing its dependence on Federal support while at the same time improving the quality of service. Every year Amtrak moves further toward increasing the ratio of its earned

revenue to total costs. The Corporation has gone from covering 48 percent of its total costs in fiscal year 1981 to 69 percent by the end of fiscal year 1988. As a result, Amtrak's appropriation for the current fiscal year is 53 percent

below that for fiscal year 1981 (in constant dollars). One of Amtrak's highest priorities is to make the Corporation even more self-sufficient in the future.